Liverpool are set to sign Dutch sensation Cody Gakpo from Eredivisie outfit PSV, with his imminent arrival said to, particularly, have damaging repercussions for Manchester United.
Having endured a, somewhat, underwhelming first half of the season, the Reds have bolstered Jurgen Klopp's squad in the hope of mounting successful UEFA Champions League, FA Cup and Premier League campaigns.
Whilst Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino remain a constant presence within Klopp's plans, the German boss continues to evolve his attacking options by signing the likes of Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz.
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The latter, alongside Diogo Jota, remains absent through injury, however, and the signing of Gakpo will further enhance Liverpool's depth ahead of a significant period.
Gakpo impressed during the Netherlands' FIFA World Cup campaign, netting three goals in as many Group A matches as Louis van Gaal's side progressed to the quarter-finals in Qatar.
In addition to securing a high-profile addition, supporters will, also, take immense satisfaction in realizing that chairman Tom Werner's November comments have proven true.
Following news of the club being put up for sale, Werner proclaimed it will be "business as usual" at Anfield until a deal is concluded, proving true with the signing of Gakpo.
Such comfort will not be felt by those of a United persuasion. A report from the Daily Mail states that the Red Devils were keen on striking a January deal for Gakpo following summer interest, but missed out when they failed to table a financial offer to PSV amid takeover talk at Old Trafford.
Subsequently, it is now reported that the Glazer family will only allow Erik ten Hag to sign players on temporary loan deals in January as they aim to sell the club in the first financial quarter of 2023.
That realisation will, undoubtedly, make United's transfer activity significantly trickier and enable other clubs to sign players ahead of them.
Off that basis, it would be little surprise to see Liverpool leapfrog their bitter rivals and register a higher Premier League finish despite their current slight points disparity.
Premier League standings, at the time of writing, see Liverpool sit one point and place behind United in sixth, meaning their fixture at Anfield in March is likely to be immensely-contested as a major encounter in the battle for a top-four spot.
Champions League football will be a sought-after commodity as both ownership groups aim to maximise the value of their respective assets, and Liverpool may well have delivered a vital blow to their great rivals' hopes.
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